Gabriel's Hope

He pushed open the fourth door, walking into a large room stacked from floor to ceiling with ancient tablets, manuscripts, and books. In the center was a table stacked with more of the records.

Gabe paced as Tamer climbed a ladder to tablets stacked at the top of one limestone shelf. His thoughts kept straying to a certain pink-haired woman whose scent on his skin was driving him crazy.

"You're making me edgy," Tamer snapped.

Gabe stopped and crossed his arms. Tamer descended, one cracked tablet in hand. He tossed it on the table with a thud then set the compass on top.

"Some similar," he said, pointing out the symbols.

Gabe frowned. Whatever Tamer saw, he did not. The writing on the tablet was too faded to make out, and the symbols he did see looked nothing like those on the compass. He sensed magic, though, and understood the Immortal was able to access the tablet in a way Death had no need to.

"The writing on this is from the time-before-time," Tamer said, motioning to the compass. "Before the last great demon raid. Maybe even before the first demon raid. It's an interesting piece. Not an original, but probably kept to spec."

"How old is the compass?" Gabe asked.

"Compass? That would've been nice to know."

"Does it matter?"

"It might. Its function could determine the meaning of the symbols, since the most ancient Immortal writing is based on a complex system of symbolic context. A letter in one place might mean something completely different somewhere else," Tamer explained. "This compass is only a few thousand years old. I can spend time researching it or I can try to duplicate."

"Duplicate," Gabriel replied. "I've got an army of bored assassins on the verge of killing off the wrong souls. I'd rather fix that first. If you can duplicate, I'll need as many of those as I can get."

Wariness crossed Tamer's face as he realized what the compass did. He stepped back from the desk, as if fearing the compass would claim his soul right there.

"The magic binding it is Death's," he said. "If I can piece it together, I'll need your help to test it."

"Easy."

"And of course, I'm a businessman." Tamer smiled. "This'll cost you."

"I'm sure you wouldn't dream of charging past-Death."

"She wasn't best friends with Rhyn."'

"I'll owe you a favor of your choosing, if you can make these work," Gabe said.

"Nice. Deal." Tamer held out his hand. "Come back tomorrow. I'll have something for you."

Gabe shook on it, satisfied he at least had the right person looking into the issue. Tamer pulled out his cell phone and scowled. Gabe saw the screen light up with a text message.